A Journey Through The Westminster Catechism

Through the next few months of 2026 and into 2027, our sermon series will take us on a journey through the historic faith of the Presbyterian Church, guided by the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Each week, our sermons will begin with Scripture and remain rooted in God’s Word. But rather than simply moving through a book of the Bible, we’ll allow the questions and answers of the Westminster Catechism to help direct the sermon scripture selection as we explore what we believe about God, ourselves, salvation, Jesus Christ, and what it means to live faithfully as His people.

WHAT IS A CATECHISM?

A catechism is an ancient way of teaching the Christian faith through a series of questions and answers. In a sense, every Christian knows at least one catechetical question: “Who is your Lord and Savior?” And the answer? “Jesus Christ!” If you know that, you already understand the heart of catechism learning the foundational truths of our faith through time-tested instructional methods.

Many Christian traditions have catechisms that teach the core beliefs of their faith. Martin Luther wrote a catechism for the Lutheran tradition, and the Roman Catholic Church has its own catechism. For Presbyterians, the historic guide is the Westminster Catechism, which has helped generations of Presbyterians understand and articulate what we believe.

The Westminster Catechism

For centuries, now, Presbyterians have been taught the Christian faith using the Westminster Catechisms. It has been used for generations by Scottish Presbyterians who immigrated to America and needed to teach their children the faith, but without a Presbyterian church nearby, the Catechism became known as the de facto Presbyterian textbook by which American Presbyterians taught their children.

We will be using "The Westminster Shorter Catechism" in worship and in classes and small groups. To help you along, an online copy of The Westminster Shorter Catechism is available HERE. There is also a more in-depth introduction to learn more about the origins of the catechism, written by Pastor John. 

In the church lobby each week, we’ll have pocket-sized copies of the Westminster Shorter Catechism available for you to take with you. You are encouraged you to grab one, tuck it into your Bible, bring it with you to worship, and keep it somewhere you’ll see it throughout the week.

 Download catechism PDF

READING PLAN

Last September, Grace launched a 365-day plan to read through the entire Bible together. Whether you finished it all or had some starts and stops, we hope it gave you a taste of the deep benefits of daily scripture engagement. Together, we gained a clearer view of the Bible’s overarching narrative, built stronger study habits, and grew as disciples.

This year, we'll be doing it again. Our goal is not simply to read more Scripture, but to become people whose lives are shaped by God's Word. The 2026-27 plan still covers every chapter of all 66 books, but it intentionally departs from canonical order to echo the preaching season. Within each book, chapters remain in order. Monday-Saturday carries the whole-Bible reading; Sunday is reserved for worship, the sermon text, reflection, and catch-up.  Download the plan HERE or have it sent to you daily by subscribing HERE.

The Reading Arc
We've broken the plan into sections:
· Weeks 1-8 - The Big Questions: Genesis, Job, and Psalms: creation, purpose, human limits, providence, worship.
· Weeks 9-18 - The Great Rescue / God Comes Near: Judges and Ecclesiastes expose the human mess; Isaiah announces promise; Luke, John, and Hebrews lead into incarnation and Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King.
· Weeks 19-24 - Becoming New: Acts and the Pauline letters: calling, justification, adoption, sanctification, and life in Christ.
· Weeks 25-29 - Lent: The Life We Were Made For: Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Proverbs, and James: covenant, law, holiness, wisdom, and the heart.
· Weeks 30-31 - Holy Week & Easter: Mark, Matthew, and Corinthians: Jesus' road to the cross, resurrection, and resurrection-shaped community.
· Weeks 32-40 - Everyday Practices: Numbers through Samuel plus Psalms: belonging, worship, repentance, community, prayer, and faithful life with God.
· Weeks 41-52 - Living with Confidence and Hope: Kings, Chronicles, exile/return, the prophets, final Psalms, catholic epistles, and Revelation: failure, faithfulness, restoration, perseverance, and new creation.

 DOWNLOAD PLAN PDF

Study Questions

This dive into the Westminster Catechism will include all groups and generations, and we hope all who embark on this journey will not just read the passage and check it off the list, but go deeper--study an intriguing story, look for clarity around a passage, or wrestle with a tough question. Below are discussion questions that will help you as you engage in God's Word each day. Each week, we will be providing questions to help guide us through the readings from the previous week. These may be used in your own reflection time, in your Disciple Groups, or other classes. The previous week's questions will also be available at anytime.

The week of September 13

• When we intentionally or unintentionally treat God in a transactional way, are we not presuming that God will be motivated to act on the basis of something besides His glory? Our obedience? A gift we give? A promise we make? Read Psalm 50:1-2 and consider, what does God need from us, if anything?

• If our relationship with God is not based on Him needing anything from us, how should we think about God in terms of our own lives? Consider the turmoil Moses was going through in his own life and how he spoke with God in Exodus 32:11-14. Would your prayer life change if each of your requests was re-framed from, “Lord, I really want this” to “Lord do this for the sake of Your glory!”

• When someone comes to Jesus is it not because they believe that He has given them the greatest possible gift of His own life, death, and resurrection? If in fact we know our greatest Joy is attached to the person of Jesus, is not every prayer asking God for joy in our life one and the same as asking God for more Jesus in our life?

• What is the difference between “joy” and “happiness?” Is it possible to be joyful without happiness? Is it possible to genuinely praise God through pain?